How can I encourage my 6 yr old lurcher to accept a new puppy?
Answers:
There is no real answer to this one, all animals handle things differently just like humans do..you wouldn't put an infant with an old person who no longer has kids and expect them to be okay together.
When you introduce the puppy to her make sure you are holding the puppy and let her know it is not acceptable when she growls, also keep them apart until the puppy is a little bigger. Remember the puppy can not defend his/herself against and older dog. Suggestion from me would be when you are in the living room together then have the puppy on your lap, allowing the older one to come and sniff when it wants to, to check out the new addition to the family and then add a little floor time for the puppy with the other one in the room, they will adjust to each other but the older one will teach the younger one where his/her place in the new family is and the older one may always be a bit hard on the puppy.
Just one bite at a time..
Remember that this is a stressful time for your older dog. We ask alot of our dogs- how would like it if someone shoved a new person into your family without asking and then expected you to just get on with it?
I use crate training with puppies, and this has advantages for introductions as it allows the older dog to get used to the puppy before it is allowed the run of the house. Always supervise introductions, and remove the puppy if the older dog is not coping with it. My own dogs are very patient with puppies, and would let them maul them all day long, but I do not allow this as it will only create tension later on. Also, the older dog may resent that the puppy now gets all the attention- this is a mistake families often make. Cuddle the old dog too!
The final thing is that dogs have a natural pecking order- and showing another who's boss is a perfectly normal and necessary part of dog behaviour. Some people feel the need to liberate the submissive dog from the shackles of oppression- by making the other dog give up toys etc- this is a mistake. Some older dogs totally dominate new arrivals (I have one of these!) and will make sure they eat first, get closest to me, go through doors first etc. I do not get in the way of that. Other dogs are happy for another dog to become pack leader. I should add that whenever two dogs are together they form a pack. If you make sure that the puppy respects the older dog's boundaries, in time they will be fine. I am sorry the lurcher seems so agressive now, but keep an eye on things and the puppy will learn not to go near the bed. Also, B*tch-B*tch is the worst kind of two dog household for conflict. They will bicker!
It'll take all the time your first dog needs. Believe me, I've gone thru this, and I feel for you. My older dog really hated my puppy at first, to the point that I was also scared. Then all of a sudden, once the puppy learned her boundries with him, and it did not take too long, they were fine. She learned quickly to watch her step around him, and they've been friends for 3 yrs. now. Good Luck.
Dogs are territorial and reign over their territory by establishing dominance. The puppy has to be taught to stay away when the older dog growls. Make sure their beds are spaced apart and put the puppy in it's own bed when the other one growls. You can't leave puppies on their own to learn. They have to be taught.
Also, you have to be established as the most dominant entity in the household so the older dog obeys. Don't let it get away with growling or bad behavior. If they do it with a puppy, they may also do it with a small child who invades their territory. It's all the same to them and a behavior that needs correcting.
Unless your older dog drew blood, don't worry too much. Its the job of older dogs to teach the new pups good manners. It looks fearsome but they rarely hurt them.
Find out about crate training for your new pup, and give your dog a bed out of the pups way so that when she's had enough she can get away. Don't expect her to play with the pup or spend too much time with it, the less stressed she feels by it the better.
Make absolutely sure that your dog knows that the pup is yours, that it carries your scent and is under your protection. As long as you're top dog she'll respect that.
Things should settle down soon, but then when your pup reaches maturity it may flare up again so keep an eye on the situation. You need to make it clear to the pup that she ranks under your dog, it'll help her accept it and cut down the trouble later on. If you have two females you could be in for fireworks later.
the older dog is teaching the pup what he can and can't get away with. Her bed is her spot as the dominant dog. Intervene with the pup as soon as she growls, and don't gate the older dog! that will just make the problem worse! gate the puppy. He's the one who needs to learn boundaries. Don't worry, the pup will learn quick not to torment her if she is telling him off. She will settle down eventually, but if not after a few weeks, then I'm afraid your lurcher needs to be the one and only dog in the house.
I had an elderly dog who just didn't like puppies - she growled and snarled at them and got really upset when they went near her.
Over the years she had to get used to three new pups and she got worse and even less tolerant as she got older.
Each pup was clueless and didn't seem to realise that going near the old dear was not a good thing to do. Chastising didn't seem to work - I did lots of distracting the pup rather than telling it off.
It was up to ME to protect my old dog from the pup. I made sure that she had somewhere to go to get out of the way and that the pup couldn't reach. She didn't need extra attention from me she just wanted to be left alone by the puppy.
Yes it is exhausting and you can't leave them alone together but it is very unfair on an adult dog to expect it to be tolerant of a new pup if it isn't in her (or his) nature. Some dogs are great with pups and act like surrogate mothers but others, like yours and mine, just can't cope.
It took my old dog several weeks to get used to each pup and as I said it was harder as she got older and less able to cope. However she did get used to them and I started taking each pup out with her but made sure that she got a decent walk without be harassed by the pup.
As each pup became part of the canine family I don't think anyone could have guessed at how hard it had been to achieve.
Dogs are social animals and most enjoy the company of other dogs. However, it can be tricky to introduce a new puppy or dog into the family. The resident dog may not be accustomed to having other dogs in his home or he may not appreciate having to share your attention. First impressions are important, so you’ll need to do what you can to maximize the chances of success.
If your dog has a history of fighting with other dogs, please consult with a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Veterinary Behaviorist, or Certified Professional Dog Trainer before introducing the new dog.
Preparation
Before you bring the new puppy or dog home, remove anything your resident dog might guard, such as food bowls, bones, chew toys, toys, and beds. Even if your dog has never exhibited possessive tendencies before, it is best to exercise caution. If your home is cluttered, clean it up. Congested areas are more likely to trigger aggression because the dogs may feel forced upon each other.
The Initial Meeting: Before You Bring the New Dog Home
Enlist the help of a family member or friend, so there is a person to attend to each dog during this initial meeting. Make your way, separately, to a neutral area, such as a park. An open area in the park is perfect because there are plenty of interesting sights and sounds to distract the dogs and they can move away from each other if they choose. It is best not to introduce the dogs in your house or yard because the resident dog may become territorial.
Bring the dogs together and allow them to greet each other. Do your best to keep slack in the leashes (or let the leashes drop) so the dogs won’t feel like they are being held back. Allow them to sniff. A puppy will typically adopt a submissive position, such as lying down or even rolling over to be investigated by the adult dog. A well-socialized adult dog will likely check out the puppy and then either play with him or ignore him. When two adult dogs meet, they often stand tall and “posture” to each other. They may sniff each other, circle each other, urinate, play, or just decide to ignore each other. Don’t panic if they push each other a bit, growl, or even try standing up on each other’s shoulders. Allow them to do what they do to establish a relationship, with as little intervention from you as possible.
If the dogs try to fight, however, you will need to intervene. If you see signs of serious tension, such as raised hackles, growling, showing teeth, prolonged stares, or snapping, call the dogs away before things escalate. Try not to pull them away by the leash, as the tension on the leash might trigger an attack. If the dogs won’t come away on their own, wave a treat in front of each dog’s nose and then lure them to turn away from each other.
Keep the interactions brief at first. After the dogs greet, go for a walk together. If you have multiple dogs, introduce each dog to the newcomer separately before bringing everyone together as a group.
Bringing the New Dog Home
Walk home from the park with the dogs together and just walk into your home as though nothing has changed. If you have a yard, go there first and let the dogs off leash to hang out while you supervise. When the dogs are ready, bring them into the house. If they got along well at the park and in the yard, let the resident dog off the leash first. Permit the new puppy or dog to explore the room or house on the leash. If the resident dog acts in a friendly manner, let the new pet off the leash.
Always supervise interactions between the dogs until they have been friendly with each other for one to two weeks. They should not be alone together before them. Keep your mealtime, bedtime, walk and play routines the same as before the new dog arrived, so things don’t seem too different for the resident dog.
For the first few weeks, keep an eye on the dogs in situations that might trigger aggression, such as when you come home, when guests come over, going out to the yard, coming in from the yard, preparing to go for a walk, mealtime (theirs and yours), and playtime.
It is very important that you spend time with each dog alone so that the resident dog continues to receive one-on-one attention and the new dog develops a bond with you. If you only hang out with the dogs together, they will become attached primarily to each other, rather than to you. The new dog needs to bond with you.
WHAT NOT TO DO:
- Do not hold the puppy in your arms for the adult dog to greet. This may cause the puppy to feel trapped and threatened. Instead, stand with your feet slightly apart so the puppy can take refuge between your feet if he feels overwhelmed. Do not permit the older dog to trample, bowl over, or otherwise intimidate the puppy.
- Do not put the dogs in small spaces together, such as a car, crate or small room, before they are completely comfortable with each other. Each dog should have his or her own food bowl, bed, and toys. Place the food bowls far apart until the dogs are relaxed when eating together. Do not allow one dog to intimidate the other so that one dog abandons his food. Teach each dog to eat from his own bowl and leave the other bowls alone, even after everyone is finished.
- If a fight breaks out, DO NOT let them “fight it out.” You may have heard this popular advice, but permitting the dogs to continue a fight can set the tone for a difficult relationship. Interrupt and separate the dogs if they begin to fight or if one dog beats up on the other dog. It is always better to interrupt fighting so the dogs do not develop a pattern of aggressive behavior.
How should fighting dogs be separated?
Get the dogs apart however you can, while doing your best to not be bitten in the process. It is quite common for owners to be bitten breaking up a fight, often by their own dog. Your first action should be to shriek and yell—this works with many dogs. If the dogs are on leash, pull them apart but be aware that you may inadvertently cause the dogs to injure each other as some tend to clamp down with their jaws to resist the pull. If the dogs are off leash, try getting behind one, grabbing him by the body, and lifting him off the ground. Sometimes, the feeling of being airborne causes the dog to stop fighting. Be very careful because this strategy places you in a vulnerable position! If you can’t grab them, try grasping the aggressor by the tail, ear, or testicles. Pinch hard to encourage the dog to turn away from his opponent and toward you, but be ready to jump back if the dog turns to bite you. If one dog is locked onto the other, you may need to pry the dog’s jaws open with your hands or with a stick. Another option is to use your fingers to temporarily cut off the dog’s breath by placing pressure against his windpipe. Spraying the dogs with a water hose or blasting them with an air horn or Direct Stop citronella spray can also be effective.
Same happen to my lurcher, hated puppies. When they grew a bit bigger she began to play with them and became big buddies. Sadly she died last year, love to have another one.
Dogs are no different to babies you will have to give her loads of attention & slowly include the puppy in the playing.Goodluck
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